1. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention lies within the field of straps, buckles, clips and securement means, as they pertain to retaining a member on one's body. More particularly, the invention pertains to diving equipment, such as masks and fins, wherein the mask and fin is secured to a diver by means of a strap. The strap can be an adjustable strap which can be moved inwardly and outwardly for contraction and expansion thereof for holding a device to a diver's body such as a mask or a fin.
2. The Prior Art
The prior art of straps which are adjustable for divers, and others using self-contained breathing apparatus, whether it be under water or on the surface, includes a myriad of straps, buckles and clip arrangements. For instance, it is well known that harnesses, straps and various types of buckles can be utilized for weight belts, diver's fins, masks, buoyancy compensators and other types of diver's equipment. Also, it is known that self-contained breathing apparatus, for industrial and firemens' equipment, often has harnesses, straps, buckles, cinching frictional engagement clips, connectors, and other devices for holding such equipment in place.
Oftentimes, it is necessary that straps used in the foregoing situations be adjusted. For instance, such straps are used for differently sized people and accordingly need to be adjusted to the user. Various degrees of tension for elastomeric straps are desirable and must be such that they accommodate a user so as to not apply more or less than is desired for a user's comfort.
To this end, the prior art has utilized elastomeric straps for masks. The elastomeric straps for masks sometimes have frictional engagment buckles, or barbed attachment clips. Furthermore, they sometimes have buckles that allow for an over and under passage of the straps in their end to end relationship so that they can frictionally engage each other against the cross members of the buckle.
In addition to the foregoing arrangements, oftentimes straps are utilized with tangs or barbs that specifically engage the strap in an overcenter frictional manner at or near the frame of the mask or fin. It is also known that straps for securement can pass through a convoluted cross bar buckle arrangement to allow for the passage for the strap and at the same time frictional tightening thereof around the cross member.
Accordingly, this invention is directed toward the general area of masks, fins, and other divers' devices as well as self-contained breathing apparatus masks. The general characterization of the invention is that it is such wherein it can be utilized for holding a mask or fin on a user's body with an adjustment which is simple and effective without the need for complex metal buckles, cross members, pivoting barbs and other such means.
The invention solves the problem of mounting a retention means for a strap on a mask or a fin in part by utilizing the frame of the mask or the body of the fin. In particular, this invention has a pocket which is molded into a frame of a mask, or the body of a fin.
The molded pocket portion has support means in the form of walls or brackets which provide for retention of a spring clip therein. The operative aspects of the pocket can be formed with suitable side walls or lateral brackets so that they allow the mounting and support of the spring clip therein and the passage of a loop of a strap therethrough.
The spring clip can be easily mounted in the side walls of the pocket by a pivotal mounting means, such as a pin on which it is journaled. The spring clip can be in the form of a lever member having an elongated barb, tooth or tang at one end having a normal or substantially upright angular face, and on the other side a sloping face. At the other end of the pivotal lever member is a springlike arm, which allows the lever to be sprung into a strap engaging relationship. This is done by the pressure of the spring arm exerting itself against the end of the lever, when impressed against the interior of the pocket.
The body has a cylindrical member therein around which a loop of the strap passes. The loop passes around the cylindrical member and can be frictionally held thereby in some measure or the cylindrical member can be in the form of a roller that is journalled for movement on a pin within the side walls of the body.
The strap has a plurality of transverse ribs on a surface thereof. Each rib is similar to a tooth having a generally upright normal or upstanding angular surface which locks and engages against the angular upright angular surface of the tooth or barb of the lever arm. On the opposite side of the rib from the upright surface is a sloping surface which allows the ribs to pass under a sloping angular portion of the lever tooth so that they can pass by and effectively rachet thereunder against the spring force of the spring arm of the lever.
The foregoing strap and spring clip and pocket arrangement in the frame allows for a mask to have a superior holding means for a strap, whether it be an elastomeric strap or non-stretching strap. It also allows for an integral clip and strap retention means that is not seen in the prior art. As a consequence, the skirt or seal of the mask can be retained in tightened and comfortable juxtaposition to a person's face without undue discomfort. As will be seen, it allows for a facile and easily oriented adjustment by merely pressing against the lever portion and overcoming the spring pressure, or allowing the strap to rachet into adjustment by pulling on the end thereof.